Thursday, December 19, 2013

As finals week comes to an end, and you prepare for a much-deserved break between semesters, you might find yourself more in the mood for some pleasure reading. Sometimes, it can be hard to decide what your next book should be. Below are some resources that may help you pick out your next book!

Novelist Plus - This also provides recommendations based on reader interests and past favorites. (Please note that this database is a subscription database, and the link points to Allegany County Public Library's list of databases. You need to have an Allegany County Library Card to access this. If you live outside of Allegany County, check with your home public library to see if they also have access to this or a similar database.)

GoodReads - Create an account to find recommendations from your friends and other members with similar interests.

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Ort Library continues to collect food for
the Frostburg Food Pantry through December 20, 2013.

The display on food insecurity, located on
the 3rd floor (located between the 4 stand-up PCs) continues through
the end of this month. This display looks at food insecurity and hunger for
those living in Allegany and Garrett counties. More than 49 million Americans
are living in households that are food insecure. According to the latest US
Census data, more than 30% of households in Allegany County and almost 28% of
households in Garrett County have incomes of less than $25,000, which can make
purchasing food difficult.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

As we get closer to final exams, the Ort Library would just
like to remind you that we offer five (5) group study rooms for groups of three (3) or
more people. Each study room is equipped with a computer and large screen
monitor. Three (3) group study rooms are available on the 5th floor
and two (2) group study rooms are available on the 2nd floor.

To access a group study room, please stop by the Circulation
Desk on the 3rd floor of the library to check out a key. Your group
can utilize the group study room for two (2) hours. At least three (3) members
of your group must come to the Circulation Desk to check out the key.

In addition, three (3) group study carrels are available on
the 5th floor of the library. These are open computers/tables for
use and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Finally, just an additional reminder that four (4)
individual study rooms are available for student use on the 5th
floor of the library. These rooms are always unlocked and you do not need a key
to access them.The individual study
rooms can be found at the end of the floor closest to the Chesapeake Dining Hall.
If you take the elevator to the 5th floor, you would go to the left
and they would be at the end of the stacks. The rooms that are available for
use are 514(A), 515, 519(G), and 522(C).

Thursday, December 5, 2013

On Dec. 3, the "other" Ort Library on the FSU BobCats Islands
sim in the virtual world of Second Life was the venue for the symposium
Virtual Expanses: Expanding Virtual Education. The symposium was
organized and hosted by Peace Dragovar (Dr. Minnie Ladores, FSU
Educational Technology Coordinator, Education Professions Dept.) and
Florian Blaisdale (Dr. Sean Henry, Library Webmaster/Coordinator for
Library Instruction). Among the thirty attendees were several FSU
undergraduate and graduate students studying Educational Technology and
Online Instruction.

The Symposium featured lively, interactive presentations by three inspiring leaders in the field of virtual education:

Lyr Lobo (Dr. Cynthia Calongne, Professor and Chair of Emerging Media at
Colorado Technical University) - Lyr presented strategies and resources
for gaming in education. Many of Lyr's recent presentations can be
viewed at http://www.slideshare.net/lyrlobo/presentations.

Diantha Petrov (Lori Wahl, Instructor of Clothing, Textiles and Design
at the University of Idaho Consultant) - Diantha spoke about successes
and strategies with Second Life for distance education, and disccussed
future ideas and the challenges of creating immersive learning environments.

Spiff Whitfield (Andrew M. Wheelock, K-12 Educator, Leader in the International Society for Technology in Education's Special Interest Group for Virtual Edication, and Founder of Virtual Pioneers) - Spiff shared his adventures as a "Virtual Pioneer,"visiting historical sims and reimagining how history can be taught in virtual worlds. A video of his recent keynote address at the 2013 Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference is accessible at http://youtu.be/XutJqb5F9QQ

In addition to the stimulating presentations, Florian Blaisdale hosted a trivia game with linden cash prizes for attendees in the Game Tent outside the Library. The Symposium came to a sparkling conclusion with dancing to beautiful music provided by FSU's own Dhrua (Dr. Sally Stephenson, Associate Professor of Education Professions).

The Virtual Expanses Conference on FSU's Second Life BobCat Islands was an astounding success, but just wait until next semester!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

The first display,
located on the 3rd floor (by the main entrance) provides information
on the end of Prohibition 80 years ago (1933) with the passage of the 21st
Amendment to the US Constitution. The temperance movement swept the United States during the 1820s and 30s.
By World War I, this cry for the prohibition of alcohol gained increased
popularity which culminated in the passage of the 18th Amendment in
1919 which prohibited the creation, sale, and transportation of alcohol. By the
late 1920s, the mood in the US had moved back to allowing the creation of
liquor by legitimate businesses. By 1933, the 18th Amendment,
outlawing alcohol had been repealed.

The second display, located on the 5th
floor of the library, recognizes December as AIDS Awareness Month. AIDS Awareness
Month is a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have
passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and
prevention services. Come to the Ort Library and view the AIDS Awareness
Display on floor 5. Learn more about HIV/AIDS through statistics and
background information as well as see what titles the library has on AIDS. Included
in the display is the book And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts. Published
twenty years ago, And the Band PlayedOn was quickly recognized as a masterpiece of investigative
reporting. Shilts' expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread
unchecked during the early 80's while the most trusted institutions ignored or
denied the threat. One of the few true modern classics, it changed and framed
how AIDS was discussed in the following years.

Finally, the display on food insecurity, located
on the 3rd floor (located between the 4 stand-up PCs) continues
through the end of this month. This display looks at food insecurity and hunger
for those living in Allegany and Garrett counties. More than 49 million
Americans are living in households that are food insecure. According to the
latest US Census data, more than 30% of households in Allegany County and
almost 28% of households in Garrett County have incomes of less than $25,000,
which can make purchasing food difficult.

The Ort Library will be collecting for the Frostburg
Food Pantry through the end of the semester. A collection box is located by the
display.